Here's How I'm Getting $300 After Spending Just $1,000 on This Credit Card

I'm an avid cruiser. I love the feeling of being out on the ocean, and cruising can be a great way to take a family vacation to several destinations in a single trip. And if you're strategic about planning a cruise, you might be surprised at how much more affordable it can be compared with, say, going to Walt Disney World or spending a week on a single Caribbean island as a family.

One way to maximize the value of your cruising budget is by using a cruise line's cobranded credit card. With two Royal Caribbean cruises booked within the next year, I recently decided to pull the trigger and apply for the Royal Caribbean Visa Signature® Card, which is issued by Bank of America. And while I never suggest getting a credit card just for the welcome offer, I'd be less than honest if I said the particularly generous welcome bonus didn't influence my decision.

Benefits of the Royal Caribbean Visa Signature® Card

Since I've already spoiled the surprise in the title, let's start with the welcome offer. The Royal Caribbean Visa Signature® Card typically offers 25,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 within 90 days of opening the account, but there is a limited time offer of 30,000 bonus points (worth $300) after meeting the same spending requirement.

Points can be redeemed for onboard credit, discounts on cruises, upgrades, and more. Most redemption options are worth $0.01 per point, but there are some that are significantly more valuable. For example, cardholders can redeem 25,000 points for a companion fare on a three- or four-night Royal Caribbean cruise with a value of as much as $500, valuing the points as much as $0.02 each.

For spending, the card earns 2X points per $1 spent on Royal Caribbean purchases, as well as those on its other cruise lines (Celebrity and Silversea), and 1X point per $1 on other purchases. The card also has no annual fee, and as with most travel-oriented cards, there are no foreign transaction fees.

Alternatives to the Royal Caribbean Visa Signature® Card

The Royal Caribbean Visa Signature® Card is a solid credit card if you're spending money on Royal Caribbean or Celebrity Cruises. But with a base rate of 1X point per $1, it isn't the best for general spending, so if you're looking for a great credit card for your everyday spending, here are two excellent no-annual-fee choices.

One good everyday credit card is the Citi Double Cash® Card, which has no annual fee and earns up to 2% cash back: 1% when you buy plus 1% as you pay. Unlike the Royal Caribbean card, the Citi Double Cash® Card has one of the best 0% intro APR balance transfer offers in the industry.

The Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card is another option that has one of the best rewards programs of any card without an annual fee. It earns 3X points per $1 spent on restaurants, travel, gas and EV charging, transit, streaming services, and cellphone plans. Points are worth $0.01 when redeemed toward travel and purchases you've made, but you may be able to get even more value. Points earned with the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card are transferable to several airline and hotel loyalty programs -- this is a rare perk among cards without an annual fee.

The bottom line

The Royal Caribbean Visa Signature® Card is a great credit card to have if you cruise (or plan to) on Royal Caribbean and/or Celebrity. With no annual fee, it could be worth getting even if you only use it for the occasional cruise booking and onboard spending. I recently applied for and received the card in anticipation of a cruise I'm taking in September, and the bonus offer will offset a significant amount of my family's spending for this trip.